I have been working with or attempting to work with a client for quite some time. It has not been going as well as I would like it to.

First of all, he wants to reach his personal potential in climbing, but has been prevented from doing that by one injury after another. As we were finally ready to begin a training program, I get yet another email that indicates that another setback has occurred. In his latest email to me, he says that he will come back after another break better than ever and ready to take on a program.

Now, I know how long we have been trying to work together and how frustrated I would be if I was in his shoes, yet he still comes back with positive energy and a great attitude after each set back. In a later email, he said that he wished that he would stop stringing me along and finally be able to begin his training.

This is what I told my client, your situation has allowed me to reflect upon my own and realize how lucky I have been over the last 20 years. I have been essentially injury free (the broken back being the exception) the whole time. Trying to come back over and over after injury after injury would drive me nuts! I am impressed and inspired by your drive and willingness to not give up.

He responded that he was psyched to be able to inspire me. For your information, anyone who is trying hard at something that they are passionate about be it writing, running or anything is inspiring to me. Especially when things are not going as they wish. It takes a truly special person to hang in there after obstacles prevent them from reaching their goal. So don’t give up and get out and have an adventure!

That this year has allowed me to reflect on my climbing and why I climb. As we get older and our focus/drive may change, I think that we all need to constantly try to understand why we like or dislike the activities that we participate in or choose to avoid like the plague. This is so that I can always be motivated and so I can always be in the best state of mind to accomplish what I want to accomplish and what needs to be accomplished.

Here are a few reason why I climb:

I love being outside away from the city (really it is the most important thing)

We use it for one week out of the month so that we don’t get used to just one type of training. Cardio workouts that significantly increase your heart rate will positively impact your efforts at the sports/activities that you love!

The reason that I ask this question is that it has always made me wonder why some people are at the gym. Some folks have climbed for 20 years and have never improved, some folks attend regularly but never really climb, while others are getting after it all the time.

I can say that for me the gym is a place where I work and train. I use it specifically to address my weaknesses and to develop a high level of fitness. It is hard to just go do some routes without a particular focus, it is hard to boulder a couple problems with no particular reason. The joy that I get is when I am outside and climbing and realize that my indoor time has allowed me to reach my personal potential outside. I analyze where I need work while outside and then focus on those areas while inside. For me the gym is best described as a tool and I would rather not be there unless I am able to do that.

For others though the social part of the gym is the reason to go. To see who is there and talk to whomever is climbing next to you. Climbing is certainly a social beast, but I head to less populated areas because I am not looking for that all the time.

What are your thoughts?

No matter what the reason, I am glad that you are climbing and having fun with it!

A few weeks ago I was invited to teach how to offwidth to the visitors of Smith Rock during an American Alpine Club community building event.

The events are called Craggin Classics and are meant to bring climbers together for clinics, climbing, and conservation.

It was a great time where I had the chance to work with climbers who wanted to learn basic traditional climbing skills and some that wanted a little bit of offwidth technique. We headed out to the basalt crack climbing area near the river and enjoyed a perfect day out. We placed gear, built anchors, talked safety and planning and climbed some too!

Don’t be afraid of these events! They are great fun and you get a super deal on the clinics. Whatever people paid (no more than 50$) the kind of training and one on one attention that you get during these clinics would cost you over a hundred bucks through anyone else.

I love sharing my experiences with other climbers and tips that make life easier on the wall. Whether it is gear beta or how to approach a long day. I wish that there were events like this bringing climbers together when I started climbing 20 years ago. It would have helped me a lot, as I had to learn the hard way to get to where I am today. (where ever that is, HA)